Domestic carbonators are well known. These devices operate by injecting pressurised carbon dioxide into a liquid that is contained in a sealed bottle. The present invention aims to improve known devices and methods by simplifying and automating aspects of the carbonation process and by providing additional sophistication in the construction of the device and the bottles that are used during the carbonation process.
Known domestic carbonation devices require a threaded or bayonet coupling assembly between the bottle to be carbonated and the carbonation head prior to starting the carbonation process. These types of coupling arrangements generally require two hands. In some prior art units that do not have water delivery, the bottle is being handled while full, making the coupling procedure more difficult owing to the weight of the open and full bottle.
Conventional domestic carbonation devices require the lid of the bottle to be carbonated to be affixed after the carbonation process is complete. When the freshly carbonated liquid is exposed to the atmosphere before the lid or cap is affixed, CO2 is released. In effect, the recently carbonated liquid begins to go flat as soon as the carbonation process stops.
In those domestic carbonation devices that have manually adjustable carbonation levels, the mechanisms are sometimes unreliable and lack the ability to be configured by the user. These types of devices sometimes rely on the user reacting to an auditory indicator to discontinue carbonation. Low carbonation levels are difficult to achieve and the results are generally not repeatable without considerable discrepancies in the results and carbonation levels.
Consumer standards also require the safe operation of carbonation devices, particular when using glass bottles. Glass bottles under pressure can fracture or rupture.
Some prior art domestic carbonators are associated with difficulties in replacing the pressurized CO2 cylinder that supplies gas to the device. Some machines need to be inverted or lifted the height of the CO2 cylinder in order to couple the CO2 cylinder onto the CO2 valving and coupling assembly.